The Hat
by LifelongObsessor
Summary: From "Pikachu, I Choose You!" and onward - To her, it had been a part of him since the beginning... and it crushed her when he left it behind. A look at the important role a simple red and white hat played throughout Ash and Misty's relationship. Pokeshipping.
1. In the Beginning

**Hello everyone! LifelongObsessor here!**

**I recently saw a photo floating around the internet ****of Misty sadly holding Ash's hat.**** It was captioned "LIAR: You spent eons telling us how important that hat was, and then you just threw it away. Like a lot of things." (I don't know who to cite this photo too, as I have seen it multiple places, so I apologize for that.)  
**

**Seeing this picture basically broke my childhood. It was so true. I hadn't realized how much about Pokemon had changed since Misty left the show, right down to Ash's wardrobe and the silly hat he had loved so much. It really got me thinking ... and then it got me planning ... and then it got me writing.  
**

**And thus, a story on the importance of Ash's hat in terms of Ash and Misty's relationship was born. I know. Weird.**

**This was originally intended to be a one shot, but it _really_ got away from me so I'm trying to divide it up as smoothly as I can into chapters. Because of this, some chapters are longer and focus on specific moments, whereas others are shorter and more general. They all play a part, though, I promise.**

**This is my first attempt at writing for Pokemon and I am VERY new to this whole Pokeshipping thing, so I hope it goes well!**

**Thanks for reading, and enjoy!**

* * *

Right from the beginning, the hat had been part of him.

It had been a beautiful sunny day, the kind of day Misty had always loved. Nice weather meant a day where Misty could spend some time on her own in the great outdoors, a day without the meaningless babble of her sisters as they chastised her for not being as good a trainer as they were or not being as pretty as they were or for any other reason relating to how Misty was not living up to the standards they had set. A gorgeous day, to Misty, provided a glorious escape, a freedom from the shackles her sisters tried to fit her with.

Sitting by the water, free from prying eyes and all responsibility, Misty sighed happily. This was her day; calm and clear weather, water Pokémon to be caught, no cares and no worries ... It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

... Until, of course, that stupid hat, and the boy attached to it, had flown through the air and splashed down into the water in front of her.

"Wha - ?" Misty blinked. _What on Earth just happened?_

She hesitated only for a moment to collect her thoughts before rushing to hoist the boy out of the wet and pulling him to safety on the dry land. She hadn't gotten a good glimpse of his face; it had been tucked into his chest as she came to his rescue. All she had really seen was his hat, red and white with some sort of symbol dead-centre and a brim to shield his eyes from the sun. How had it stayed on his head after a dip in the water like that? How had the current not whisked it away? Weird.

The boy had a Pokémon with him too, she realized. Something small and yellow ... a Pikachu, perhaps? Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be in very good shape.

It was then Misty's temper took over. Who did this guy think he was, letting his Pokémon get in that kind of condition? Not to mention the fact his unexpected plunge into the water had scared away all of the Pokémon she had a chance of catching that day. Misty steamed.

She really started to let this guy have it, hands on her hips and expression cold as ice as she yelled, angrily trying to get her point across. She finally got a good look at his face as she raved; big, confused eyes stared at her as she yelled, blinking rapidly. Dirt smudged his skin. Dark, shaggy hair stuck up from beneath that hat of his, framing his features in an unruly, boyish way.

_He's kind of cute_, thought Misty in surprise. The hat had caused her to expect someone uglier and meaner. After all, why would an attractive person wear something that obscured their face like that? It was very misleading. Hat Boy, as she was mentally calling him, was a bit of a mystery

As time went on, Misty began to relent somewhat. She was still angry, to be certain, but something in the boy's face caused her to hold back, not because it was a cute face (although it was), but because of the emotions she could see in it. He was concerned, deeply concerned, about his Pikachu. It had been injured and the fear Hat Boy had for its well-being was clear in his eyes, practically shooting out of them like laser beams. He looked upset ... and afraid.

_Maybe he's not such a bad guy_, Misty realized. _He seems to really care for his Pokémon. He's worried. He made a mistake and someone got hurt; I can understand that. It could have happened to anyone, even me! Maybe I should ease up on him a little ..._

And she did ... until her stole her bike.

"Hey!" she cried, running after him as he fled, using _her_ set of wheels. "That's my bike!"

He yelled back that he'd return it someday, but that wasn't what had Misty concerned. She had biked to this spot all the way from her home in Cerulean City. With a bike the trip had been simple; without it, however, the walk would take her ages.

She watched him pedal furiously until he was nearly out of sight. That stupid hat stayed on his head once again like magic, sticking to his head despite the breeze and the speed at which he traveled. Misty frowned.

"That's right, Hat Boy. Run away," she muttered angrily as she started to walk. _Stupid Hat Boy with a stupid hat ..._


	2. The Theory

As she traveled with Ash, (as Misty had long ago learned that to be his name,) she grew more and more attached to the boy and the hat he continued to wear. It was part of him, somehow; the inanimate object had the ability to represent Ash's personality in a way she had never thought a simple article of clothing could do. It was peculiar. She often puzzled over how so much could be said about a person by means of one silly hat.

It wasn't until Misty accidentally mentioned her theory to Brock about Ash's emotions in relevance to the placement of his hat that she realized that sort of observance was not normal.

"You mean you've really never noticed that his hat corresponds with his mood?" Misty asked incredulously that night, sitting with her legs crossed and watching Brock stir a pot of his latest concoction. Ash and Pikachu were nowhere to be found, off exploring the woods surrounding their camp site.

"You've never noticed how he wears it normally when he's happy or confident," Misty continued, "but he turns it backwards when he gets deeply involved with something, like an intense battle? Or how he pulls it down to hide his eyes when he's upset with something? Or fiddles with it when he's embarrassed?" Misty was incredulous with Brock's lack of observance. "Brock, you can tell exactly what he's feeling or thinking by the placement of his hat alone! You've really never noticed that?"

"No, I haven't," Brock replied, tasting a bit of the meal from a spoon before frowning slightly and adding something to his mixture. "But just because I haven't seen it," he continued, "doesn't mean it isn't true."

"Mmhmm ..." Misty mumbled in agreement. "I just can't believe I'm the only one to see this."

"That is interesting," Brock agreed, stirring. "Then again, you and Ash are much closer than he and I are. You've been together longer, experienced more together. You share a bond that Ash and I just don't have. In a way, this whole scenario makes sense because of that."

Misty blinked. "I don't understand."

"I'm saying," Brock replied, looking up from his pot and smiling, "that the more you care about someone, the more you notice and the more you understand them."

" ...Me? Care about Ash?" Misty scoffed, even though she guessed he may be right."That's crazy, Brock. I just want that bike Ash owes me."

"Uh huh," Brock scoffed.

"What?"

"Misty, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you like the guy."

_What? LIKE him? No, I don't! Brock's just being stupid! After all, what does he know? All he does is lust after every girl he meets. He couldn't possibly know anything about how I feel …_

Except somehow he did. She did like Ash. And Misty couldn't deny it to herself any longer.

… But she _could_ continue to deny Brock. Or at least try to.

"You're crazy," she scoffed, lying through her teeth. "You sound worse that my sisters. Stop making things up, Brock. That's not true in the slightest! Ha ha ha."

Brock turned to face her, crossing his arms. "If you can't even fool _yourself _anymore, Misty, what possibly makes you think you can fool _me_?"

_Sigh. Resistance is useless._

Instead of fighting it any longer, Misty gave in. She looked at Brock slyly from the corner of her eye. "How could I possibly have a chance fooling you?" she repeated. "Well …" she smiled sadly, "I'm still fooling Ash."

Brock sighed in surrender. "Right. That boy can be pretty dense." He returned to his cooking. "Maybe one day he'll see it."

Misty nodded and stood up. "I guess I'll go find those two so we can eat," she said, walking off in the direction of the woods, listening for the sounds of Ash and Pikachu's laughter.

Brock watched her go, shaking his head slowly. "Reading emotions through a hat," he marveled. "That girl's got it worse that she knows."


	3. A Night by the Water

She was sitting alone one night, staring out at the water, when she heard the familiar sound of Ash's feet approaching on the grass. Misty really didn't want to deal with Ash right now, or with _anyone_ for that matter. It had been a rough day and her resolve was slipping fast. She could easily blow a gasket any moment and really just wanted some time alone to stare at the waves and calmly collect herself.

Ash seemed to sense that something was off as he got closer. "Hey, Misty," he said tentatively, slowing to a stop as he neared her chosen spot. "Can I sit with you for a minute?"

_No,_ Misty thought, but she found herself shrugging nonchalantly. "Yeah, sure. Whatever," she heard her voice reply. Sigh. She never could say no to Ash anymore.

Ash didn't seem too convinced that he was entirely welcome, but he sat down anyway, keeping his distance in case he accidentally tripped another 'Misty Landmine' and sent the young girl reaching for her mallet. Misty almost found his caution funny.

_Almost._

The pair sat in silence for a moment, neither sure how to act or what to say.

"So," Ash finally voiced quietly. "Rough day, huh?"

"Yeah," Misty agreed. It had been horrible. Misty hadn't won an honest-to-goodness _real _Pokémon battle in quite some time; she usually left that sort of thing to Ash, but when the opportunity to participate in her own battle against a fellow trainer Misty had been more than eager to have a go. She hadn't realized that trainer specialized in grass type Pokémon, immediately putting her own at a disadvantage. She hadn't considered the possibility that Psyduck may decide to once again leap out into battle unannounced, even though Misty had specified that she wanted Staryu. She hadn't known the trainer himself was not only a skilled trainer with stronger Pokémon than she, but also a complete _jerk_ who knew she was a Cerulean Sister and had thrown horrible insults her way both during that battle _and_ after she had suffered a crushing defeat at his hand.

It was the most degrading thing Misty had ever experienced in her life. And she was very displeased about it.

"Misty?" Ash asked, still tentative. "Are you alright?"

"Me? Yeah, sure. I'm fine …" Misty trailed off unconvincingly.

Ash waited, not really buying her story. Misty realized her lying had been for naught.

"Actually," Misty said, her voice breaking slightly, "I don't think I am."

It was then that, horrifyingly, the tears began to fall from her eyes.

_Great_, Misty fumed to herself, turning her face away from her male friend._ Just great. As if the day wasn't bad enough, now you're crying in front of Ash Ketchum. Wonderful._

Ash didn't seem to know what to do, his hand flying to the back of his hat in his confusion. He had had very little experience dealing with crying girls thus far in his life and really didn't have a clue how he should proceed. What were you SUPPOSED to do when girls cried?

Taking a risk, and a big gulp of air along with it, Ash slid closer to where Misty sat with her face now tucked into her knees. "Um," he said, hesitantly reaching over and awkwardly patting Misty on her shaking back, "It's alright. Everything's gonna be alright."

Misty's face spun in his direction and Ash braced himself for the hit, but it never came. Instead of reacting in anger to his words, Misty just seemed to break down further.

"The things he said, Ash!" she wailed. "They were awful, but they were _true_! They were all so true …" Misty's face returned to her knees, her sobs becoming even more pronounced.

"They were not!" Ash retorted, baffled by the redhead's behavior. He gave up on rubbing Misty's back, since it didn't seem to be doing any good, and struggled to talk this out instead. "Nothing he said was true," Ash continued. "He was just saying t to get you going, Misty! The guy was a jerk. A huge jerk. _Maybe _even worse than Gary."

Misty wasn't hearing any of it. "I'm Cerulean's Ugly Duckling," she sobbed, repeating the trainer's earlier words. "The Simple Minded Cerulean Sister." She sniffed. "I'm a horrible trainer. My Pokémon all hate me. I'm never gonna make anything for myself. I'm just gonna hang off my sister's coattails for the rest of my life, like a Shellder on a Slowbro."

"You are not!" Ash was appalled. Did girls take everything that guys said at face value? Were all girls, even ones as tough as Misty, _really_ that shaken by the things others said to them?

Misty seemed to be on the verge of crying herself out, the tears coming more slowly now. Ash saw an opportunity and rushed to seize it.

"Misty, listen," he started. "We've been traveling together for ages now, right?" He waited for Misty to nod before continuing. "So it's safe to say that I, your long-time friend, would know you a lot better than some random trainer you met on the street. So listen …"

Misty's sobs quieted slightly.

"Misty, you are one of the greatest trainers I know," Ash said. "I have never met someone who cared about their Pokémon as much as you do, or for the people in their life. Our last time in Cerulean, you left Horsea behind because you wanted it to be happier and freer that it was traveling with you, remember? In the process, you helped your sisters out of a jam at the gym, the sisters who you love more than words despite the way they have treated you over the years. You sacrificed some of your _own_ happiness for that of those you love. Not everyone would do that." He paused before saying, "You're important, Misty. You're_ special_, and you should never let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Do you really think so?" Misty asked, her face still buried in her knees. Her voice was so sad and girlish that she nearly blushed out of embarrassment.

"… Yeah," Ash replied. "I really do."

It was only then that Misty sensed how close she and Ash were sitting. She straightened up and found herself staring right into Ash's eyes. His hat was pushed back so she could see them clearly, shining with concern and reflecting the light of the moon ever so slightly. He was looking at her as if he truly saw her, like he knew exactly who she was and couldn't ask for her to be anything better. It was like … she was perfect.

_Whoa. Okay. This is intense._

Here Misty was, face to face on a moonlit night with Ash Ketchum, the boy with the stupid hat she had liked for ages. And he was comforting her. And looking at her in a way she hadn't thought possible. And their noses were nearly touching.

_Come on Misty!,_ her brain shouted angrily. _Do something romantic! BE ROMANTIC!_

And she was totally going to … until Ash abruptly leaned back and added hastily, "And, um, I know Brock would agree with me if he were here, too, since he's also a really good friend and stuff. He's your friend. Like I am."

The brakes in Misty's head gave a loud SCREEEEECH as the Love Train came to an unexpected stop.

_Ugh. Moment ruined. Did he really just bring up Brock? _

"Right," Misty muttered in disappointment, trying to hide how much Ash's pulling back had stung. "I'm sure he would say that."

_... This must be what the friend zone feels like._

"Speaking of Brock," Ash said, jumping to his feet, "I better get back to the campsite. I wanna make sure Pikachu and Togepi were alright while I was gone."

"Sure," Misty said sadly. But as he started to go, she suddenly found herself yelling, "Ash?" He turned around. "I just wanted to thank you," she said honestly. "I really needed that pep talk tonight."

Ash grinned that adorable boyish grin of his. "No problem, Misty."

"And besides," Misty joked, trying to lighten the mood and cheer herself up, "did that guy ever finish the Ugly Duckling story? It became a _swan_ in the end. It was beautiful!" She put one hand on her hip and one on the side of her head in a mock flirtatious pose. "Who knows," she said with an exaggerated wink, "maybe one day _I _can be like that, too."

Ash smiled sadly. "But Mist …" he replied softly, his eyes suddenly serious, "you already _are."_

Misty froze. _What did he just say?_

Ash took a step toward her. Then another. Misty thought at first maybe he was going to kiss her … but instead he reached up and pulled his hat off his head and plopping it down affectionately on her own. The carefree grin returned to his face. "See you at the campsite, Misty," he cried, turning and running back towards the trees.

Misty reached up and smiled, touching the hat the boy had placed on her head. She had never seen him let anyone else wear it, except for his darling Pikachu. It was his favorite possession. And he had trusted her with it, at least for the time being.

It meant more to Misty than it should have. She hoped it had meant something to Ash, too.

"This stupid hat," she muttered to herself, but it was without malice. Somehow that silly boy from Pallet Town and his lame red and white hat had found their way into her heart. Bad mood completely dispelled, Misty skipped back toward their camp with a spring in her step.


	4. Goodbyes

**So here's where it gets iffy.**

**I haven't this far into the Pokemon series for years, and I never watched very far past Pokemon Advanced even then. (I never even made it to the episodes where Misty showed up! EURGHH.) I've been rewatching the series in my free time, but I'm still way back in the Indigo League, so if anything canon-wise is iffy here, I apologize and PLEASE tell me. I'm trying to stay as true to the show as I can, but I'm flying a little blind.**

**We're going angsty for a bit, here, but I'm sure things will work themselves out eventually ... right?**

**By the way, since this is my last chapter of the night, is it okay to ask for a review? ;)**

**Anyway. Right. Story time.**

* * *

She would never forget the night they said goodbye. It was the hardest thing Misty had ever done.

Ash's hat was pulled down over his face as far as it would go, his eyes entirely hidden from her view. Misty knew what this hat placement meant. She had seen it before; hat hiding his eyes, obscuring his face from the world …This meant he was upset. That he cared.

About her.

Misty swore she could feel her heart breaking.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked softly, struggling to hold it together.

Ash's face was so obscured that it seemed to be the hat itself who nodded in return. "You will," he replied solemnly. "I swear."

They parted ways.

And then, like magic, the boy and his stupid hat were gone from her life, and Misty had no idea when they may come back.

She wished she had said more as they exchanged their goodbyes. She wanted to go back and tell him everything; tell him how she had liked him from the very beginning, from the moment he had fallen into the water in front of her that fateful day so long ago. Tell him that no matter how much she teased him and made fun of his conquests, she had always believed in him.

She wished she had shared her true feelings with him before it was too late, wished she had told him how much everything he had done meant so much to her. He had saved her from a boring life with three controlling sisters, allowed her to discover her own dreams and truly be herself. She had truly lived when she was with him. She hoped he knew. She had never really said. She never told him how proud she was of him, how great a trainer he was, how magical

Worst of all, Misty had never told him that he, the stupid boy with the stupid hat, meant more to her than anything else in the world.

And now he was gone.

She cried that entire night.


	5. Left Behind

**Hello, lovely readers!**

**This one of the two scenes I really had in mind when I sat down to write this story, so I hope it worked out well!**

**Also, since I don't think I've said so yet, I don't own Pokemon. If I did, I may not be so eager to force Ash and Misty together. Maybe I'd want to keep Ash all to myself ...**

* * *

Ash had been away for quite some time, now. Misty's duties at the Cerulean Gym had kept her busy, something she was thankful for. When she had something to do, it made it harder for her to obsess over where Ash was now, what he was doing and what sort of adventures he was having without her.

She assumed it was harder for Ash's mother Delia, being alone in the house like she was with nothing to do. She had Mimey, of course, but it was hardly the same. Misty had never considered it before, but Delia must have been so lonely and so worried each time Ash was gone on Pokemon journey, and this time Ash was farther away than ever. It must have been taking a toll on his mother, since it definitely still was on Misty herself.

Misty felt so guilty that she had never really considered Delia's feelings before now that she decided to take a day off from her gym duties to pay a visit to her best friend's mother in Pallet town.

Delia had been thrilled when Misty showed up at her door; she fawned over the girl, praising the new yellow attire she began sporting since she had returned to the gym. She rushed to prepare a special meal for the two of them to share (three, including Mimey). She inquired about Misty's sisters and life at the gym, seeming eager to hear all about the life of her son's female friend. Misty was happy that she had decided to come; Delia was sweet as ever.

"Have you been keeping up with my son's adventures?" Delia asked once she and Misty had finished the delicious dessert the faithful Mr. Mime had prepared. When Misty shook her head, Delia nodded understandingly. "I'm sure Ash would contact you if he could. It's harder, now, with him all the way in Hoenn, to get word back home across all that distance."

"Of course," Misty said, although the lack of correspondence she had had with her friend still depressed her slightly.

"He did manage to send a few photos back, though!" Delia suddenly remembered. She dashed from the room, returning with a stuffed envelope. "Here, sweetheart. Have a look."

Misty eagerly reached for the envelope and opened it, unsure of what she would find but eager for any sign that her friend was doing well. She missed him more than she had realized, something only the prospect of news had brought out in her, and longed to see her old friend's face.

And there he was, smiling warmly at her from the small slip of paper. He beamed in the camera's direction, clearly well and happy, yet it was a smile Misty herself could not return; it was not out of sadness that he had moved on without her, as she had hoped he would. She was not discouraged by the unfamiliar Pokémon he had with him in the photo, or even by the other faces present in the photo, including one belonging to an attractive brunette girl who, should Misty be the kind of girl who got jealous, could have been considered competition. None of these things bothered Misty.

It was the hat. Ash's hat was wrong.

The atrocity atop her friend's head was not the piece of fabric she had grown to love, was not the same hat she herself had worn ages ago on that night by the water. This was not the familiar white and red headwear with a big green "L" on it, but instead a solid red with a black patch sporting a green Pokeball.

It was wrong. Just wrong.

"Are you alright, dear?" Delia asked. The disappointment on Misty's face must have been more prominent than she had thought.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty replied, waving off Delia's concern with a flick of her hand. "But … do you mind if I sit in Ash's room for a bit?"

"Go right ahead," Delia said, still seeming confused by Misty's behavior but thankfully letting it go for the time being.

Misty walked down the hallway into the familiar space that was Ash Ketchum's room. She had been here many times before; she had even slept here, on occasion, when Ash and is friends had come to visit his mother. A sense of nostalgia began to creep over Misty as she remembered all the times she and Ash had shared, from innocent late night pillow fights to waking up to Mr. Mime vacuuming their faces …

And then she saw it.

Sitting on a shelf, in the far corner of the room, was Ash's old hat, looking the same as it had the day Misty and Ash had first met.

How could he leave it behind? Misty was baffled. He had gone on and on about how much he loved that hat; he had even chased after a Manky once when the Pokémon had stolen it away. He had always been so proud of himself for owning that hat in the first place: for having won it after sending in so many post cards. A _real_ Pokémon League Expo hat. How could he have left it behind?

Never mind where or how Ash had got it, even. What about all the memories attached to that hat? It had been with him since the beginning of his journey. It had been a trusty accessory since day one. It survived electric shocks and blizzards, wind storms and Pokémon attacks. It had been a part of him the entire time Misty had known him. It was his most cherished possession.

Why wouldn't he take it with him? Wouldn't he want it to stick with tradition? For luck? For sentimental value? To remember where he came from? To remember the times he had?

To remember _her_?

Misty darted across the room, reaching up and plucking the forgotten hat off the shelf. It had clearly been there for a while; it was covered by a thin layer of dust. Delia must not have moved it since Ash left home. This thought brought tears to the redhead's eyes; a faithful friend, abandoned on a shelf and forgotten. She could relate.

Deep down, Misty knew it was ridiculous to get so upset over a hat. After all, he _was_ still wearing one over in Hoenn. She was sure certain some things has stayed the same; his trademark turn of the brim as he went into battle, hiding his eyes when things got tough … but it wasn't the same.

This hat had been important once … and now it was just _here_, alone in Ash's room.

Just like Misty.

_You said this hat was important, Ash, _Misty thought_. You said it was special, that it meant something … and then you threw it away._

_And me with it._

It was then Misty spied a framed photo sitting on the shelf beside the hat's resting place. Ash, Brock and Misty herself smiled out of the frame, their eyes twinkling with laughter at some joke Misty had long ago forgotten. The good old days. The days of the trio.

It was more than Misty could handle. Angrily, she threw that hat back on the shelf. Storming into the hall, she attempted to be civil towards Mrs. Ketchum, because she didn't deserve the brunt of Misty's pain, and then shot out of that house as quickly as she could.

The tears were flowing before Misty had even made it out the door.

* * *

**More angst, ughhh! Things should look up next chapter, though.**

**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE shoot a review my way? 3**

**- LifelongObsessor**


	6. Hoenn

**Hey everyone!**

**Thank you SO MUCH for your interest in this story! Your kind words have pushed me to write as much and as often as I can!**

**This chapter was originally probably a third of its size, but inspiration hit just before I posted and it grew tremendously in size. I hope you like it!**

**Also, PLEASE let me know if something is wrong continuity wise here! It's been years since I watched any of the Advanced series and I never saw the episodes with Misty at all, but I wanted to include a moment from this time period because feel like that moment of being reunited would be so important in how Misty feels, especially upon seeing Ash with his new hat in person.**

**Anyway, without further ado, here is the new chapter!**

* * *

She heard from Ash a few times after that, but not very often and never for very long. Misty wasn't sure if this was a blessing or a new form of torture devised the the universe to drive her insane.

Misty herself had gone to Hoenn once with her Togepi. Misty tried her best to appear normal and carefree during this visit, but she was still hurt by the simple fact Ash had left his hat behind.

Being with Ash was still a load of fun, of course; he had matured a lot since the day they met and had become a more rational thinker, as well as a person who was easier to talk to. He still loved Pokémon more than anything else in the world. He was still determined to be the best, still fiercely loyal to his friends, still completely dense when it came to love … and he still wore _a_ hat. It just wasn't _her_ hat. The additional sense of comfort and familiarity Ash's hat had once given her was gone.

Misty knew she should let it go; the simple action of a person switching hats meant next to nothing. It was simple as changing your clothes; in fact, it WAS just changing your clothes, and Misty herself had done that. Ash's change meant nothing. Rationally she knew that, of course, yet she couldn't shake the sad feeling that filled her up each time she glanced at the top of her friend's head and saw the unfamiliar monstrosity perched there in the old hat's place.

She hoped Ash couldn't tell how she was feeling; it would be such a stupid thing to have between them, something so foolish and petty Misty was ashamed with herself for still having an issue with it. Ash probably hadn't noticed anything unusual about her behavior. He was Ash, after all. Yet there were a few times when Misty was sure he could see through her façade. He would give her a glance that lasted a bit too long. He would offhandedly ask her repeatedly how she had been in his absence, what she had been up to. His eyes would rake over her face, as if searching for an answer to a question he hadn't yet come up with. Misty brushed tried to brush it off as typical Ash weirdness, but she still wondered if she had slipped up for a moment and somehow her Hat Boy had seen her despair.

It seemed it wasn't Ash alone she had to worry about, though. In fact, even someone Misty had considered a complete stranger seemed to pick up on it.

"Are you alright?" May whispered stealthily in Misty's ear during a quiet moment in their travels. For the time being, the boys were grouped together a few paces ahead of the girls, deeply involved in a conversation about which route to take in order to reach their destination the quickest (but still allow some potential battle and/or Pokemon spotting opportunities for Ash to partake in.)

"Sorry?" Misty asked, confused by May's question.

"It's just …" May trailed off. "I mean, we don't know each other that well," the perky brunette started again, "but you've seemed a little down this whole time. Sometimes when you're looking at Ash you get this look on your face …"

_Dang it,_ Misty thought, instantly plastering a smile on her face. "I'm great, May! It's been _great_ to see Ash again, and Brock for that matter, and you and Max have been such a pleasure to meet. It's been a wonderful visit so far!"

And it had been … but it would have been _perfect_ had it not been for Ash's stupid hat.

May seemed to be convinced by Misty's words. "Okay! Great!" she grinned. "Sorry for going all weird on you for a minute there; I guess I was just expecting more sparkage between the two of you."

Misty blinked. "Sparkage?" she said flatly.

"Yeah," May said with a casual flip of her hand. "You know. You guys have all this history and stuff." She shrugged. "I guess I thought your reunion would be more … gushy." She frowned slightly at her own words there. "Hmm. Maybe _that's _why I thought you were upset. I was trying to explain away my expectations of you two and seeing things that weren't really there."

"Right …" Misty uttered softly.

May let the conversation drop; the pair really weren't that close, and she didn't want to ruin things with her potential new female friend.

"May?" Misty asked suddenly. "Does he ever … talk about me?"

May raised her eyebrows. "Who? Ash?"

Misty nodded, but turned her face away. She could feel a blush building on her cheeks and was determined not to let May see.

"Well," the girl started slowly, "he doesn't really talk about his old adventures before Hoenn very much with us."

"Oh," Misty mumbled.

"But we're really busy all the time!" May said quickly, seeing her words had harmed Misty and trying to repair the damage. "You know, with Team Rocket and competitions and all, we're usually pretty swamped for time. But he has mentioned you … a few times, at least."

"He has?"

"Sure," May continued. "Usually it's pretty vague, though, truthfully," she admitted. "Sometimes he doesn't call you by name when he talks about you. It's more like, 'A friend of mine once had that Pokemon, too!' or 'The leader of the water gym back home in Kanto is really talented.'"

Misty was still unimpressed. "I wonder why he never talks about me," she mused. "We used to spend all of our time together. I thought I was important. I thought he'd at least _miss_ me …"

May frowned, saddened by Misty's pain."Actually, Misty," she said, "I think the reason he doesn't talk about you is because he misses you _too_ much … and talking about you hurts him more than he'd like."

A grin spread across Misty's face at that. "Thanks, May," she managed, shooting a smile at her new friend. May quickly returned it and Misty hurriedly launched into a conversation about May's experiences in Pokemon contests to prevent further conversation about her and Ash and their "sparkage."

Though physically Misty had changed the subject, as hard as she tried she could not stop her mind from continuing to obsess over Ash. Her eyes flew back to Ash's face and the brimmed cap just above it, her thoughts repeating May's words over and over in her head.

_Could May's theory be the reason why he left his hat behind, too?_ Misty mused. _Would that hat have reminded him too much of home? Of me? Of what he left behind?_

Misty's eyes shot to where Brock was standing, rummaging through his bag for some unknown item, and Misty felt her heart drop again. If a hat was too much like the old days for Ash to handle, surely physically having Brock here would be an emotional overload. Ash looked fine, though.

Clearly her theory had been wrong.

Her mood plummeted and Misty found herself once again with the same sullen spirits she had had before her conversation with May. She managed to let go for a while during her visit and truly enjoy the company of her friends, both old and new, but there were times when Misty found herself faking entire conversations to hide how much Ash was hurting her.

Misty didn't see much of Ash after her visit to Hoenn. Once Ash had come home to Pallet for a stint, bringing his new friends with him. Ash had never brought Misty's behavior up, and neither had she. They parted ways after this visit and didn't speak again for some time. It was best that things stay the way they were, anyway, even if it meant feeling a slight pang in her heart each time her best friend was near. At least, that was what Misty told herself.

Ash didn't need to know about her fixation with his hat. No good would ever come of it.

The pair began to drift apart … and Misty began to move on.

* * *

**I've only got two or so chapters in mind for after this, but we'll have to see what happens! The next one is almost completely finished and I'm very proud of how it's turning out, so hopefully I can get that up quickly.**

**PLEEEEEEEASE shoot a review my way if you have the time! I love reviews more than Misty loves water Pokemon. (Yes ... THAT much!)**

**Until next time!**

**- LifelongObsessor**


	7. Reunion

**I have no good excuses for my absence.**

**So instead, here's the new chapter.**

* * *

Time passed. Misty grew older in Ash's absence. She was now an independent teenager, spunky as ever and ready to take on the world.

She still missed Ash terribly. She visited Delia regularly now, eager to read the letters Ash had sent or listen to his mother recap their latest phone call. Her resentment toward Ash's current hat had faded almost completely; she had come to terms with how immature she was being, holding such a silly thing against her friend. After all, if _that_ was the stupidest thing Ash had done, the only thing she could judge him on, Misty guessed she was doing alright in the friend department. She didn't need that anger in her life. She loved Ash more than that.

She still had an enormous crush on the Pokemon Trainer. She probably always would; he was Ash, the first guy who cared about her so strongly, the first to make her breath catch when he smiled, to protect her from harm and make her laugh on her worst days. Could you call someone you met at the age of ten your "first love"? If you could, then Ash Ketchum was definitely hers.

But Ash wasn't there. She had to move on. She had to move forward.

She continued to run the Cerulean Gym, being the best Gym Leader she could. Sometimes she feared she was becoming too strong; Misty's Pokemon were stronger than she ever could have imagined possible, a result of her hard work and training. While she was incredibly proud of her Pokemon and herself, lately Misty had been telling herself to slow down. She was getting to be too powerful; she hadn't lost a match in ages. The kids she was fighting against were young, usually only ten years old with a tiny Pokemon or two. What chance did they have against her if she continued on as she had? The only trainers who ever came to her gym were beginners - childish little beginners with no chance of defeating her as she was.

Until the day Ash Ketchum showed up at her Gym.

She had been in the pool, playing with her Starmie, when the familiar cry of, "Hey! Misty!" echoed through the room, followed by a different, squeakier cry of, "Pika! Pikachu!"

Misty spun around, finding Ash and his yellow companion standing by the edge of her pool. "What are you two doing here?" she smiled, crawling up the ladder and wringing out her hair.

"We just got back from Hoenn," Ash explained as he neared her position, gesturing to himself and Pikachu. "Mum says you've been visiting her a lot and we should come see you."

_Good old Delia_, Misty thought. "It's great to see you," she said honestly.

Ash smiled and looked around. "This gym's pretty dead today," he remarked.

"It usually is," Misty agreed. "I've got a bit of a reputation around here for being unbeatable. Kids nowadays are too afraid to challenge me." She shot Ash a playful look. "We need more kids like _you _were back when we were younger; stupid enough to blunder into a battle they have no chance of winning. Maybe then I'd get some play around here."

"Hey!" Ash said defensively, his gloved hands balling into angry fists. "I was not stupid!"

"Pika …" his little Pokémon said skeptically, shooting his trainer a look.

"I was not!" Ash snapped at the yellow mouse. He spun to face Misty. "And even if I _was_, I'm _definitely_ not now." A familiar grin stretched across his face. "And I'm gonna prove it. This is a Gym. We're gonna _battle."_

Misty's eyes flashed in excitement. "You're on!"

The battle didn't last long; Ash, of course, chose to use Pikachu, putting Misty at a disadvantage. Ash Ketchum wasn't like the other trainers Misty battled day in and day out; he had been training for years, just as she had, but had been battle tougher competitors and grown to be much stronger since when they last battled so long ago. Each move he made was calculated, playing to Pikachu's strengths. Starmie gave everything it had, getting a few critical hits on Ash's Pokémon over the course of their fight, but in the end it was Pikachu who got the victory.

"Not bad," Misty remarked, grinning ear to ear as she called Starmie back. She was almost glad she lost; she hadn't had a battle that intense for ages. It was exhilarating.

"You've gotten a lot better since we last met," Ash said in return. He, too, was smiling widely.

"Well, if a trainer like _you_ could accomplish so much," she teased, "I thought _I_ better work hard, too, since I _am_ superior to you in every way."

"Are not!"

"Am too!"

Ash gave a snarl charged toward where Misty was standing. All at once, it was just like they were kids again; Misty squealed and sprinted to escape her old friend in a spontaneous game of tag. It was just like so many years prior, when they had still been kids.

Suddenly Misty slipped in a puddle of water on the floor and toppled sideways into the pool with a laughing shriek.

Ash was nearly in stitches when she resurfaced, but he pulled himself together and extended a hand to help pull her out of the water as she neared the pool's edge. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Just fine," she giggled.

Though she could have just used a ladder, Ash grabbed her arms and lifted Misty out of the pool. He fell back a little as the full force of her weight hit him and the two were face to face, laughing again as Ash regained his balance and steadied the pair of them.

Misty smiled at her friend. She had forgotten how good it felt just to be with someone you love, goofing around and passing the time. It was nice. She had missed these moments more than she thought.

Ash returned her smile, but the grin slowly faded from his face. "Hey, Misty …" he started.

"Yeah?"

Ash's hand flew to the back of his head. He pulled his eyes away from her face, skeptical. "Um … are we okay?"

Misty blinked, confused. "What are you talking about, Ash?"_ Where on Earth did this come from?_

"It's just …" Ash still wasn't meeting her confused gaze. "Sometimes I get this feeling like you're mad at me for some reason." He turned back to face her. "Like, you make this face," he continued, "everytime I see you when you or I visit. I don't think you realize you're doing it, but you are, and I don't know why, or what I did wrong."

Misty scoffed. "Ash, I'm not mad at you about anything! We're fine. We're just …" Misty's pupils began to move against her better judgment. She couldn't stop her eyes from moving to Ash's head and focusing on his hat. " … fine."

"That's the look!" he said, pulling back and pointing at her accusingly. "That's the face you make! Why are you doing that?"

"It's nothing," Misty muttered, eyes on the floor. _Dang._ She had really thought she was over it. She had _told _herself she was over it…

"Look, Misty, I really don't want you to be mad at me," Ash said softly. Misty turned around, surprised. Ash looked really shaken. She hadn't seen him in months, yet her actions seemed to really be bothering him. Had he been obsessing over this since the last time she had seen him?

"I'm not mad, Ash," she said gently. She really hadn't meant to perplex him like this. "It's just …" she opened her mouth to explain, but trailed off. She really didn't want to tell him. It was so petty of her. So stupid. So -

"Misty?" Ash prompted.

Suddenly Misty couldn't hold the words back anymore. They came surging out of her mouth like waves over a waterfall. "It's your hat, Ash!" she yelled in exasperation. "It's your stupid freaking hat."

Ash blinked. "Uh … my hat?" he repeated slowly.

"_Yes_," Misty seethed. "Why are you wearing that thing? I hate it. I just _hate_ it!"

"… Mist, I _always_ wear a hat," Ash defended, incredibly confused.

"Not _that_ hat," she practically snarled. "You didn't always wear _that_ one. There was another one. A _better_ one."

Ash struggled to make sense of what was going on here. "So, you're mad," he tried, "because you like my old hat better than this one?"

"_Yes._ I mean, _no_!" Misty put her head in her hands. "It's not the hat, Ash. You just … you left it. You left it behind. That hat was with you through everything, was present for every victory and every failure. It was supposed to be with you from day one until the very end."

Ash just blinked and let Misty continue to rant, not understanding a word.

"It was always gonna be there, Ash!" she continued, raving. "It was always gonna be your constant. Your touchstone. Regardless of whether you won or lost, of if you were a success of failure, it was going to be with you. It was gonna …" She trailed off, her eyes tearing up. "It was gonna _be_ there, Ash. And then it just … wasn't." She looked at her old friend. "That wasn't fair, Ash."

"No," he said, "it wasn't."

"It was gonna be there, Ash," Misty repeated. "It was … But you just threw it away … and replaced it."

The strength of her own words struck her; Misty collapsed to the ground, shocked by her own outburst. Ash took a tentative step toward her. "Misty?" he asked tentatively.

Misty didn't reply. She just sat in silence, staring off into space and wishing she had kept the whole thing to herself. Now he knew. Things would never be the same.

Pikachu scampered off, feeling the tension and giving the duo space as Ash took another step closer. Then he took another. And another. Finally, he sat down silently on the floor beside Misty.

Misty was struck by the memory of another time she and Ash had sat alone by the water when she had been feeling down. It seemed like forever ago they had done that …

It was quiet for a long time between the pair. Misty hated this silence. She wished they could just go back to the way they were a few minutes ago, when they had been laughing and innocent and happy. Would they ever have that again? Or had she destroyed something precious she could never get back?

"You know," Ash's voice suddenly pierced through the darkness, shocking Misty to attention, "I really do like that hat."

Misty sniffed. "You do?"

"Yeah," Ash smiled. "I worked so hard to get that thing, I remember that I – "

"I know the story, Ash," Misty cut him off. "_The postcards. The dedication. Yadda yadda yadda."_

"Shhh! Let me finish!" Misty fell silent. "I had always wanted a hat like that," he continued on. "I wanted it practically since the first time I saw it. Some people made fun of my wanting it to so badly, but … they just didn't _see_ it the way I did. To me, it wasn't just another hat … It was the greatest hat I had ever seen."

Misty hiccupped quietly. Ash had never, in all the years she had known him, told the story this way before. It was strange and not like him.

"I spent all my time trying to make that hat mine," Ash continued. "And it sure as hell wasn't easy. It took _hours_ of dedication, _days upon days_ of hard work for me to earn the privilege of having something that special in my life. A lot of the time I thought I didn't deserve it, that no matter how hard I tried I would never be lucky enough to get that hat …" He paused for a moment, as if thinking. "And then I did. And God, Mist, was it ever the best hat. I loved that hat more than anything. Anything at all."

Misty could practically hear the smile in Ash's voice at that, but she refused to look at him. She didn't know where this story was going, nor did she really care. Stupid hat boy.

"But Misty, it wasn't safe out there," he said sadly. "That hat, my favorite hat, was never gonna survive out there, at least not in the pristine condition I wanted it to be in." He laughed suddenly. "Remember that time it was stolen by Manky?"

Misty did, but she hid the smile growing on her face behind her arm.

"There's always some new danger when you travel like I do," the trainer carried on. "Be it wild Pokemon or Team Rocket or even just nasty weather, it's not always a friendly world out there. One day I woke up and I realized … I couldn't protect my hat from everything out there. I could try, try as hard as humanly possible, but I just couldn't …" Ash trailed off.

Something in his tone had changed in a way that alarmed Misty. She shot a quick glance Ash's way, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. He was staring across the pool, lost in his own thoughts. It almost seemed as if he had forgotten Misty was there at all.

"So I left it," he finished. "When I left again, the hat stayed home. I knew Mom could take care of it. She's always known, deep down, how much it mattered to me, even if I didn't know myself. While I kept trying to fill the gap in my life with new – erm – hats, she kept telling me that the one I really needed was the one I had let go. That the only proper thing to do was come back and get it."

Misty stared at her friend. "Ash?" Had she imagined the slight pause of his words, as if he had to remind himself what he was talking about, or had that been real?

"I'm sorry, Mist," Ash said, his shoulders slumped, eyes averting her gaze. "I was honestly trying to do the right thing. Please don't hate me for it. I couldn't stand that."

Misty's heart melted. She instantly felt guilty – why had she let a stupid hat bother her so much? Now she had upset Ash. That hadn't been her game plan at all. God, she could be stupid!

"No, I'm sorry, Ash," Misty apologized, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I overreacted. It's just a hat. I was being silly."

Ash shrugged her hand off and sighed. "I just need you to understand why I did it, Misty. How I could ever let go of something I loved so much." He took a deep breathe and said slowly, as his dark eyes finally and reluctantly met her bright ones, "Sometimes, when you really love something … you leave it behind for safe keeping."

Misty's ears were teary as she smiled. "Ash, really," she said soothingly. "It's just a hat."

Ash raised a single eyebrow. "I don't think either of us were talking about hats, Mist."

Misty's heart stopped.

" … What?" she blinked.

Ash just stared back at her, eyes hopeful yet with a distinctive glint of fear. "I left behind something I loved, Misty," he said slowly, "but it wasn't a hat."

Misty struggled to understand his words. What was he talking about? How could he –

Oh.

Oh wow.

He had figured it out. He had figured out how Misty had felt for all these years, determined the source of her misplaced anger and pain. It wasn't the hat she had loved … It was Ash himself.

He had figured out everything before even Misty herself had.

Huh. Maybe Ash Ketchum wasn't as dense as she thought he was.

_WAIT, FORGET THAT_, Misty's mind suddenly screamed. She was missing something important! _Did he say he loved something? _she thought. _That he left behind something he loved? I don't understand! He took all his stuff with him! The only other thing he left behind was –_

Ash's lips met hers before she had a chance to finish her thought. It took Misty a second to react (she had to make the thought transition from HE LOVES ME HE LOVES ME HE LOVES ME to OH YEAH I SHOULD KISS BACK,) but when she did it was with more passion that she had known she had.

This was Ash. A Pokemon Master. A hero. Her best friend.

And he was in love with her.

Their lips moved with near desperation, each struggling to deal with the emotions raging inside of them - the pain from their long separation, the happiness of finally being together, the sadness of having taken so long to realize it …

When they finally pulled apart, panting and smiling ear to ear, Misty reached forward and yanked Ash's hat off his head. Ash raised an eyebrow, confused, until Misty reached back and threw the hat with as much strength as she could muster into the pool.

Ash smiled. "Wow. You really did hate that hat, huh?"

Misty shook her head. "No," she said, smiling. "I just really loved you."

* * *

**Whew! Longest chapter yet!**

**Now. Feel free to hate me, guys. It's been****way****too long since I updated, I know. I won't bore you with reasons because, really, none are good enough explanations as to my super long hiatuses. (Anyone out there reading YNFHTB especially must hate me, and Patient too! I'm so sorry! This one was freshest in my mind, so I finished it up first to get back into the game.) I hope the incessant adorable shippyness made up for it somewhat. Maybe.**

**This is my favorite chapter in this story - I've had Ash's speech in my head forever (because, seriously, he needs a moment of being insightful and awesome sometimes) and it felt SO GOOD to write it out!**

**Thanks for (inexplicably) still reading! I love each and every one of you! There is a single chapter left, more of an epilogue, but I have no sweet clue when that'll be done.**

**Luvdiscs for all! Shoot me a review (if you're not too angry over my whole horrible update-ness) and let me know what you think of the chapter!**

**- LifelongObsessor**


	8. Epilogue: A New Adventure

**It's been forever, but here you go! The epilogue! **

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

His bag was already packed and slung over his shoulders as they stood outside Ash's house. It was hardly past dawn, so early Misty was surprised Ash wasn't droopy-eyed and yawning, but the couple had already been awake for some time. It was a big day, after all. A lot of preparation had to be done before things could get underway.

"Misty?"

"I'm sure, Ash," she smiled, reaching into her back pocket and pushing something into Ash's hands. "Here's your boat ticket. Don't you dare lose this or your adventure will be over before it's even started."

Misty started to pull her hands away, but Ash closed his own over hers, trapping her there. "You could still come with me, you know" he said, his hopeful eyes rising to meet hers. "Just like old times? You and me?"

Misty smiled faintly, shaking her head. "I have responsibilities here now. It's really best I stay."

Ash nodded; this had been the answer he was expecting, but part of him had still hoped she would change her mind and join him on his travels. "I could stay behind, too," he offered, but he knew his suggestion would never fly.

"No you can't!" Misty exclaimed. "I know you, Ash. You're a Pokémon Master, and a fiercely competitive one at that. You'll never be satisfied staying in one place." She shook her head, but lovingly. "You have to go. New region, new Pokémon, new badges … How could I possibly keep you from that?"

There was no point in arguing; everything Misty said had been true, and they both knew it. Ash shrugged slightly and tilted his head."I guess now I have something to come home to, then," he said reasonably, releasing his girlfriend's hands.

A playful smack promptly followed. "Ash!" Misty laughed incredulously. "Just me? What about your mom?"

"Uh, right," he conceded, rubbing the spot on his arm where Misty's hand had made contact. _Ow._ "I forgot."

"You forgot your own _mother_?" Misty gaped.

"Well, not _exactly_," Ash mumbled. Of course he had remembered his own mother. He_ loved_ Delia. "She's definitely part of home too, I guess."

"You _guess_?"

Ash started blushing. "Just forget about it, Misty," he muttered, kicking softly at the dirt road and stirring up some dust.

Misty narrowed in curiosity. "Ash," she prodded, taking a slow step towards him. "Something you want to say?"

Ash squinted his eyes closed, sighing in resignation. "It's just …"

Misty waited. Ash may have matured a lot since they met as kids, but he still needed time to work up the courage to express himself sometimes. It was adorable, really. She almost enjoyed watching him struggle. Almost.

"It's just that I know home is here, in this house with mom," he finally expelled, eyes opening but focusing on a patch of earth near his feet. "I mean, here, this is where I grew up, this is where my family is, my room, my family, Professor Oak … It's what home is supposed to mean, and I know that. But honestly …" With what appeared to be a great deal of effort, Ash locked eyes with Misty, and finished "… I've never felt more at home than when I'm with you. No matter where we are. Those years traveling with you were the most at home I ever felt."

It took Misty a minute to respond. Ash's words had left her feeling a little dizzy. _(How does he do that?_ she wondered.) It wasn't long, though, before a smile was stretching across Misty's face and she was pulling her closest friend into a tight hug.

"I love you, Ash Ketchum," she whispered softly in his ear before planting a kiss on his neck.

"Um," he replied, pulling back and looking flustered. "Yeah. I, uh, I love you too."

Dealing with affection still wasn't his string suit, either, especially in public places. What had happened back at the Cerulean gym a few months ago seemed to have been a fluke, but Misty was hoping to, over time, coax him back to that level of ease and acceptance of affection. As for right now, however, Ash's face was nearing the color of a tomato.

"I, um, I better go now," he said quickly, trying to distract himself from what had just happened. "See you later, Misty!"

Ash spun on his heel and was nearly halfway down the road before he heard the amused cry of, "Oh, Ash! Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?" Ash yelled back. _Forgetting something?_

"Or, more accurately, some_one_?"

"Someone?" Ash blinked. Then -

"PIKA-PI!" an angry voice squeaked.

… Oops.

Ash turned around to see a very angry Pikachu way back at the house, sitting by Misty's feet and, as best as Ash could tell from this far away, looking very displeased.

"Pikachu!" Ash laughed, running back to where Misty stood and letting the tiny creature scurry up his arm. "Sorry, buddy!" he apologized. "I was a little distracted."

"Pika Pikachu," Pikachu replied, pointedly shooting a look toward the ginger woman standing a few mere feet away.

"Now, Ash," chided Misty, amused, "was that really the way to say goodbye to your girlfriend? Rush off in a blur and leave her to care for your Pokémon all on her own?" Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

Ash blushed again slightly, embarrassed by his earlier panic, but instead of fleeing he closed the distance between them and met Misty's lips in a soft kiss.

"Much better," Misty grinned as she pulled away. "Now hurry up!" she cried, giving him a shove back toward the road. "I don't want you to miss your boat!"

"I won't," Ash replied, rolling his eyes. She was beginning to sound like his mother!

Nevertheless, Misty was right, and he took a step back and began to leave (again) for his next big adventure.

"Hey, Misty," he said before he left.

"Hmm?" she replied.

He smiled shyly. "Take care of my hat for me."

Misty grinned and pulled a folded lump of fabric out of her other pocket. "I will," she promised, straightening out the old hat's brim and plopping it on her own head. "I swear."

Ash smiled and finally took off with Pikachu, eager to see what the world had in store for them this time.

Misty smiled and watched them go. Ash was leaving, but she still had a part of him here, on her head, that would always be with her, reminding her that one day Ash would come back.

Ash was nearly out of her sight and she was about to retreat back inside when suddenly, at the end of the road, he stumbled and fell flat on his face.

Misty laughed and started back toward the house. "Stupid Hat Boy," she muttered with a smile.

* * *

**I'm out of excuses for my lateness. BUT, better late than never, right? I finally managed to crank out the story's conclusion, after months of writers block and a schedule that offered no time to write. (Oops, I guess I'm trying to come up with excuses again. Just ignore me.) I hope it was to your liking! It was a real challenge for me.**

**Please send me a review if you liked my story! I'd never written for Pokemon before this, so I would love to get some feedback! I even give you permission to chastise me on my horrible updating skills so long as I get some feedback (Not that you needed permission anyway ;) )**

**Anyway, that's all, folks! Thanks for reading my little story! It means more than you know!**

**- LifelongObsessor**


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